Article dispenser



' Feb. 12, 1946. UgHTFOOT 2,394,621

ARTICLE DISPENSER Fi1 ed Aug. 22, 1944 "u l "a.

l4 *3 37 I 20 3i x9 '7 2 X4 58 26 )0 INVENTOR.

l2 I 'FRANcIs M. LIGH FOOT ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE a 2,394,621 I Y ARTICLE DISPENSER Francis M. Lightfoot,Los Angeles, Calif. Application August 22, 1944, Serial No. 550,514

7 Claims. (01. 312-48) This invention relates generally to receptacles,and more particularly to those from which articles can be dispensed.

An object of this invention is to provide an article penser embodying areceptacle, which, in one of its-many adaptations, simulates an easelor' sta-nd type picture frame movably mounted on a suitable base andcontaining a stack of articlessuch as cigarettes which can be singlydispensed in response to a predetermined tilting movement of thereceptacle from its normal picture-displaying position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an article dispenseroftheabove described character whose receptacle is pivotally mounted on abase in close proximity to the top surface of the latter in a manne toeliminate all visible and ex traneous. mounting means detracting fromthe in tended appearance of the receptacle as a standtype picture frame;which embodies a fixed control'element on the base having a wallco-acting with a confronting Wall of the pivotally mounted receptacle,to define a discharge chute constricted towards its bottom end, toconfine the lowermost article of a stack against gravitational dischargefrom the receptacle while the article next above is disposed to besupported by the control element as the receptacle is swung to aposition wherein the chutedefining walls of the control element andreceptacle separate sufficiently for the lowermost article to be free togravitate from the chute; and which embodies a front closure paneladapted to support a suitable picture and being mounted on thereceptacle fo movement 7 to an open position wherein the panel co-a-ctswith the base in retaining the receptacle in an extreme tilted positionagainst its tendency to return to its normal raised position, thusenabling the receptacle to be conveniently loaded with articles toreplenish the supply thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in thecombinations and arrange mentsof elements as set forth in the followingspecification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, y Figure l is a view of the articledispenser in front elevation, partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a view of the article dispenser in side elevation;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-301Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 arefragmentary vertical sectional views similar toFigure 3, and illustrating 5 different positions of the receptacle indispensing an article;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 66of Figure 2; and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l-l ofFigure 6.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the invention in its illustratedembodiment comprises a flat base H] of glass, plastic, or other suitablematerial, on which is secured by bolts ll (Figure 6) one leaf l2 of ahinge I 3, whose other leaf [4 is secured by screws- IE to the back walll6 of the body I! of a receptacle it of generally rectangular formconstructed of plastic or other suitable material.

, The central portion of the hinge leaf I4 is cut away to receive a coilspring I9 mounted on the hinge pin 20 and normally urging the receptacleupwardly to the slightly-rearwardly tilted position shown in full linesin Figure 2, and also in Figure 3, to conveniently display a picture 2|1 on a front closure panel 22 having reduced side portions 23 (Figure 1)freely received in guideways 24 (Figure 6) in the side Walls 25 of thereceptacle body IT, to slidably mount the panel for opening and closingmovements with respect to the open front of the receptacle body. The topand bottom ends of the closure panel 22 are provided with guideways 26receiving the top and bottom edge portions of the picture 2| and aprotecting glass cover 21 therefor, for co-action with the side walls 25in confining the picture and cover 2'! against displacement from thecover panel 22.

The receptacle body I! and cover panel 22 coact to define a magazine 30'for a stack of articles such as cigarettes which'are adapted to besingly dispensed from the bottom of the stack ontothe top surface 3| ofthe base It] through the bottom open end of the receptacle whichconstitutes adischarge chute 32 from the magazine 36. For the purpose ofcontrolling the discharge of the cigarettes from the magazine, a fixedcontrol'element 33 is secured to the'base 10 by a bolt 34 which alsopasses through the hinge leaf l2.. 1

The control element 33 hasstop fingers or lugs 35 which are received inrecesses 36in the back wall 5 of the receptacle body I! when thereceptacle occupies its fully raised position shown in Figure 3, so asto permit the lowermost cigarette in the magazine to pass the stopfingers and be confined against discharge from the chute 32 by beingwedged between the confronting surfaces 31 and 38 of the control-element33 and cover panel 22 respectively, Which; in the raised position(Figure-3) of the receptacle, converge downwardly to constrict theoutlet end of the chute sufficiently to prevent the lowermost cigarettefrom gravitating from the chute.

In operation, and with the receptacle I! oocupying its extreme raised orpicture-displaying position shown in Figure 3, under the actionof shownin Figure 4, so that the lowermost cigarette will be separated from theremaining cigarettes of normally downward converging surfaces '3'! and38 of the control element 33 and cover panel 2-2 separate at their lowerends while maintaining their original separation at their upper ends,tofinally assume a parallel and then a downwardly diverg- 1 ingrelationship so as to release the lowermost cigarette and permit it togravitate down the inclined surface 31 onto the top surface 3| of thebase I0 and thus be dispensed from the magazine.

Uponreleasing the receptacle, its return to'the normal raised positionis effected by the spring l9, thus rendering the stack of cigarettesfree to gravitate in the magazine 30 a distance suflicient for thelowermost cigarette of the stack to be dispensed in response to arepetition of the above described operation.

To replenish the supply of cigarettes in the magazine 30, it is onlynecessary to swing the receptacle to the extreme tilted position shownin Figure 2, and withdraw the'cover panel 22 sufliciently for it to restagainst the top surface of the base ll! formation; means pivotallymounting'the recep- 1 tacle at the bottom thereof on the base formovement from raised to lowered positionimeans urging the receptacle toraised position; a control element fixed to the base and havin a wallcoacting with a wall of the receptacle to define a discharge chute atthe bottom of the magazine;

said walls converging downwardly in the raised position of thereceptacle, sufiiciently to confine the lowermost article of the stackin the magazine against discharge from said chuteythe control elementhaving means co-actable with the next to the lowermost article of thestack when 1 the stack while the latter are supported by the lugs35against discharging from the magazine.

However, as this rearward tilting movement is l continued to thepositionshown in Figure 5, the i discharge chute at the bottom of the magazine;

said walls converging downwardly in the raised 7 position of thereceptacle, sufiiciently to confine the lowermost article of a stack inthe magazine against discharge from said chute; the control elementhaving a stop lug received in a recess in the receptacle when occupyingraised position so as to clear the path of movement of articles in themagazine; said stop lug coacting with the next to the lowermost articleof the stack when the receptacle is moved towards its lowered position,to sustain all but the lowermost article of the stack while said wallsseparate relatively in response to said lowering movement of thereceptacle, sufficiently to release the lowermost article forgravitational discharge from said chute.

3. In an article dispenser, a base; a receptacle having a magazine openat the bottom of the receptacle and adapted to contain articles instackformation; means pivotally mounting the receptacle at the bottomthereof on the base for movement from raised to lowered position; meansurging the receptacle to raised position; a control element fixed to thebase and having a wall co-acting with a wall of the receptacle to definea discharge chute at the bottom of the ma'ga zine; said walls convergingdownwardly in the raised position of the receptacle sufliciently toconfine the lowermost article of the stack in the magazine againstdischarge from said-chute; the control element having means co-actabl'ewith the next to the lowermost article of the stack, when the receptacleis movedtowards its lowered .position, to sustain the remainder o'f-thestack in the magazine while said walls separate relatively to releasethe lowermost article so that same will be free to gravitate from saidchute; the receptacle having a cover panel mounted to slide from thebottom to close and open said magazine, and engageable with said basewhen the receptacle is lowered and the magazine is open, for co-actionwith the base in retaining the receptacle lowered against the action ofsaid urging means, so as to enable the magazine to be loaded witharticles. i

4. In an article dispenser, a base; a receptacle having a magazine openat the bottom of the receptacle and adapted to contain articles in stackformation; means mounting the receptacle at the bottom thereof on thebase for pivotal movement from raised to loweredposition, about an axisthe receptacle is moved towards its lowered posil tion, to sustain theremainder of the stack in the magazine while said walls separaterelatively to release the lowermost article so that same will be tacleat the bottom thereof on the base for movement from raised to loweredposition; a control element fixed to the base and having a wall coactingwith a wall of the receptacle tc define a the base; means urging thereceptacle to raised position; and a fixed control element on the base;said control element and receptacle having relatively movable meansdefining a discharge chute in the magazine which is suflicientlyrestricted when the receptacle occupies raised position, to confine thelowermost "article of the stack, against discharge from the magazine:the control element having stop means disposed'to obstruct the discharge.of all but the lowermost article from the magazine as the receptacle ismoved from its raised position, while the lowermost article is releasedby relative separation of said chute-defining means, for gravitationaldischarge of the article from said chute.

5. In an article dispensena receptacle'having a magazine open at thebottom of the receptacle and adapted to contain articles in stackformation; means pivotally'mounting the receptacle about a horizontalaxis located at its lower end, for movement froma raised position to alowered position; means urging the receptacle to raised position; afixed control element at the pivotal control element having stop meansclear of the path of movement of articles in the magazine when thereceptacle occupies raised position, and operable when the receptacle ismoved therefrom, to obstruct the discharge of all but the lowermostarticle from the receptacle, while the lowermost article is releasedfrom between said surfaces of the control element and receptacle forgravitational discharge from said chute.

6. In an article dispenser, a base; a receptacle having an articlemagazine open at the bottom of the receptacle; means mounting saidreceptacle at the bottom thereof on the base for tilting movement from araised position to a lowered position; means urging the receptacle toraised position; means operable in response to lowering movement of thereceptacle, to release an article from the magazine; said receptaclehaving a cover for opening and closing said magazine and openableslidably from the bottom to overlie the base when the receptacle islowered, and maintain the receptacle lowered against the action of saidurging means to enable the magazine to be loaded with articles.

'7. In an article dispenser, a base; a body; a cover for said bodyco-acting therewith to form 10 an article magazine open at the bottom ofthe body; means mounting said body at the bottom thereof on the base fortilting movement from a raised to a lowered position; means urging thebody to raised position; means operable in re- 15 sponse to loweringmovement of the body to re lease an article from the magazine onto thebase; and means slidably mounting said cover on the body for opening andclosing movements; said cover adapted to be opened downwardly to over-2o lie the base and maintain the body lowered against the action of saidurging means, for loading of the magazine.

FRANCIS M. LIGHTFOOT.

